• Vineyard

Cox Vineyard

Cox Vineyard, planted in 1956, is located in Mendocino County north of Ukiah. These old vines grow on gentle hills in rocky soils. During the long, hot growing season, drip irrigation is sparingly used to maintain vine health. The soil and temperature stress the vines just enough to produce rich jammy-peppery flavored zinfandel grapes. Zinfandel for Wild Thing Zin and Carignane for Rendezvous Rosé come from the Cox Vineyard. The indigenous yeasts found the Zinfandel grapes in the vineyard allow Carol to use a wild yeast fermentation, which led to the naming of Wild Thing Zin. In 2002, Cox Vineyard passed the rigorous CCOF standards for organically grown.

  • Grower The Jack Cox family: Chuck & Kerri Vau

  • Elevation 700 - 2,000 feet; Zinfandel is at 900 feet

  • Soil Type Rocky Clay and Red Volcanic Soils

  • Appellation Mendocino County

  • Varietals Zinfandel, Carignane, Petite Sirah

  • Year Planted Zinfandel (1968); Carignane (1920); Petite Sirah (2011)

  • Organic / Sustainable CCOF

  • Clones Zinfandel is a mix of unknown clones plus some Costa Magna, Carigane is unknown.

  • Rootstock St. George

  • Vine Training All head trained except the Petite Sirah which is trellis

  • Pruning System Zinfandel & Carignane are spur pruned; Petite Sirah is VSP Cordon

  • Irrigation Type Drip irrigation

  • Avg. Crop Yield in Tons/Acre Petite Sirah (3 T/acre); Zinfandel (4 T/acre); Carignane (4-5 T/acre)

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